The Eagles’ decision to trade Carson Wentz to the Colts on Thursday took away another seat in the NFL’s unprecedented offseason round of quarterback musical chairs, leaving the Bears with one less option as they scramble to upgrade the most important position in sports.
In less than three weeks, the NFL’s three most obvious trade candidates have been moved elsewhere. The Lions and Rams swapped quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff on Jan. 30. Thursday, the Colts agreed to send a 2021 third-round pick in 2021 and a conditional second-rounder in 2022 for Wentz. The pick could improve to a 2022 first-rounder if Wentz starts either three-quarters of the Colts’ snaps this year or makes the playoffs while playing 70% of their downs, according to ESPN.
The Bears researched and considered Wentz, but there’s no evidence they made a formal offer. The trade, which can’t be officially completed until the start of the league year March 17, leaves the Bears with one less veteran option for a must-win season.
Now the Bears’ uncertainty at the position could stretch until late April. The Eagles were operating with a March 19 deadline, as Wentz was due a $10 million roster bonus on the third day of the league year. Other teams the Bears will engage in trade talks have no such ticking clock.
The Jaguars will assuredly select Clemson star Trevor Lawrence first overall on April 29 and can wait that long before trading quarterback Gardner Minshew. He went 6-6 playing under offensive coordinator John DeFilippo in 2019.
The Jets have the No. 2 pick; if they decide to select a quarterback, there’s no motivation for them to tip their hands and move 23-year-old Sam Darnold before draft week. The same goes for the Dolphins, who have the third pick and second-year passer Tua Tagovailoa. Neither franchise figures to move their young passer until they find out whether the Texans will trade star Deshaun Watson. For now, the Texans say they won’t move him.
Quincy Avery, Watson’s personal quarterbacks coach, sounded envious of Wentz getting his way Thursday.
“What’s the criteria for a quarterback asking to get traded, and then actually getting traded?” Avery tweeted Thursday. “Asking for a friend.”
The Bears lack the ammunition to trade for Watson. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson have been cryptic in the last month, but their franchises won’t trade them. Dak Prescott could get another franchise tag from the Cowboys, if not a long-term deal.
Who’s left? The Bears are fond of the Raiders starter Derek Carr — he’s a close friend of Khalil Mack — and were once interested in drafting his backup, Marcus Mariota. There’s no reason for the Raiders to move Carr, though, and there’s no evidence Mariota would be an upgrade over Mitch Trubisky.
The Bears vowed to explore all their options this offseason. Would the 49ers move Jimmy Garoppolo without an obvious upgrade? Could the Falcons stomach a $44 million cap hit and move Matt Ryan? The Panthers have been clear they don’t think Teddy Bridgewater is the answer. Would they trade him regardless of whether they, as reported, plan to push all-in on a Watson trade?
The free-agent class next month is pencil-thin. Cam Newton is the only available quarterback to start at least 10 games last year — but the Bears could have had him last year for a song, and passed. The same goes for Jameis Winston, who figures to re-sign with the Saints after Drew Brees retires. Ryan Fitzpatrick is 38 and has played for eight teams.
The Bears could decide to trade up in the draft, but that’s no guarantee of long-term success. Wentz was the last remaining quarterback drafted between 2009-16 who was still with his original team.
Whomever the Bears add will be imperfect. They’re available for a reason.
That was the case with Wentz, who might have been the NFL’s worst starting quarterback last year. His passer rating last year was the lowest of any 2020 quarterback to try 400 or more passes. He threw a league-high 15 interceptions despite starting only 12 games before being benched for rookie Jalen Hurts. A strained relationship with Doug Pederson contributed to the coach, who is one of Matt Nagy’s best friends, getting fired.
Wentz posted a 73.4 passer rating, which was 24.9 points lower than the average of his previous three seasons. Only six quarterbacks have ever had such a dropoff, and four of them retired after their brutal season, per NFL Research.
The Eagles were willing to swallow a $33 million dead cap hit this year — the largest in the history of football — just to get rid of him.
The Colts parted with far less than the two first-round picks the Eagles were rumored to want next month. They hope a reunion with head coach Frank Reich — his coordinator during a near-MVP season in 2017 — helps him rebound.
The Bears, meanwhile, have moved on, hoping like mad they’re not left without a quarterback when the music stops.
